Have you ever wanted to stay at Colorado’s most haunted hotel, The Stanley Hotel? Did you Google The Stanley only to be horrified by the unreasonable nightly rates? Me too! Why not stay at a top contender for Colorado’s most haunted hotel for a fraction of the price? That’s exactly what The Hotel St. Nicholas is. It’s a paranormal bargain—less price, fewer haunts. Sounds reasonable to me. Let’s check in to this haunted hotel.
The Hotel St. Nicholas is located in Cripple Creek, Colorado. At its peak, Cripple Creek had around 50,000 residents and was one of the greatest gold rush towns of the Old West. Today, it’s home to about 1,100 people. The only reason it still exists is gambling. It’s like Vegas had a baby with an abandoned ghost town and now has to send alimony payments. Walking through the town feels surreal. You see old buildings from the early 20th century, look inside, and find modern slot machines. The main street is the only place you’ll see people. Everywhere else is dead.
The Haunted History of The Hotel St. Nicholas
On top of a hill overlooking the town stands The Hotel St. Nicholas. It was built in 1898 as a hospital for the miners working in Cripple Creek. It served that purpose until the 1960s, then became a nursing home. Eventually, it was abandoned. In 1995, new owners bought the property and turned it into the hotel it is today.
With a history that long—and in an Old West mining town—it’s gotta be haunted, right? Yep, it is. The Hotel St. Nicholas is even advertised as one of the most haunted hotels in Colorado. I love when a place is upfront about its haunted past. The hotel embraces its ghosts proudly, even dedicating a section of its website to them.
Haunted Details and Eerie Touches
Since it’s a historical landmark in a small town, The Hotel St. Nicholas attracts tourists who like to look around. Rooms that aren’t currently rented out are open for anyone to explore. That’s great if you’re there for the ghosts—you get more chances to hunt.
The first thing I noticed while touring the hotel was these little dishes in every room. Each dish had a small skeleton key and other odds and ends. A laminated card explained that the keys and coins were left to help the dead navigate the afterlife. The offerings reminded spirits that they’re still thought of and cared for today. Then came the warning: “Remove items at your own risk if you want to bring out the mischievous tricksters.”
Of course, I had to take a key out. This project is about research, after all. The spirits must have known I wasn’t serious about keeping it. I’m above stealing. So no one played a trick on me. It’s fine; I’m not mad about it—just disappointed.
The Ghost of Petey and the Other Spirits
One of the owners was bartending that night, so I asked her about the keys. When she first opened the hotel, guests often reported their keys going missing. Apparently, it was the spirit of a child who liked to play with people’s keys. He would move them around and hide them.
To stop the mischief, the owner placed dishes with keys throughout the building. It worked. Now it doesn’t happen as often. His name is Petey—little effing Petey. No, I’m kidding, he’s great. He just didn’t want to play with me. I’m not mad about it, just disappointed.
The owner handed me a printout with the hotel’s history. It also listed the hauntings. A man in a dark overcoat has been photographed in the parlor many times. A woman has been spotted on the second floor. There’s even a ghost cat somewhere in the building. Cute. The attic is known for unexplained noises.
Before booking my room, I researched which ones were haunted. Room 16 came up a few times. On the website, you can pick the exact room you want, and 16 was available. That’s another reason The Hotel St. Nicholas deserves to be on your list—you can actually choose a haunted room. For reference, the haunted rooms are 1, 5, 7, 11, 14, and 16.
The Smelliest Spirit: Stinky
But the most annoying ghost is one called Stinky. Can you guess why they call him that? That’s right—he stinks. The odor of raw sewage will appear out of nowhere, at least according to the owners. Or maybe it’s just a 130-year-old building’s plumbing struggling to keep up with our modern lifestyle of eating daily.
No shade, Hotel St. Nicholas. I’m just saying we have to approach the paranormal with a scientific mind first. The owner’s printout also said none of the ghosts are malevolent. They’re just mischievous. Looking at you, Petey.
My Late-Night Ghost Hunt
Like I mentioned earlier, all the unoccupied rooms are open for anyone to check out. When it’s late, that’s the perfect time to hunt, right? Unfortunately, the floors creak like crazy. Every step you take is followed by a loud “creeeeeeak!” The walls are thin too, so if you’re walking around at night, everyone in the building can hear you.
I didn’t want to disturb guests, so I stayed in my room to investigate. My EMF reader went crazy—not just little blips, but full red for a few minutes. Then it dropped back to green. I wasn’t moving at all during this. Eventually, the activity stopped. Maybe Petey did want to play. He must have gotten tired and gone to bed.
Why The Hotel St. Nicholas Belongs on Your Haunted Travel List
I really enjoyed my stay here. I love when a place is open about its hauntings. From the little keys in the dishes to the website’s ghost section to the owner personally sharing stories, The Hotel St. Nicholas fully embraces its haunted past.
It’s affordable, historic, and just creepy enough to make your night interesting. If you’re planning a haunted getaway in Colorado, The Hotel St. Nicholas should be at the top of your list. Check out a haunted tour while staying there too.
Happy hunting.
Thanks for reading and check out The Witches Wardrobe to spookify your style. Your support goes to fund the adventures of The Forgotten Grimoire.
